I'm preparing to take the LCSW exam. As a way to study, I am following along the content areas in the guide book & I'll post regular updates with information about the various content areas. Please feel free to comment with additional information, other resources, or general commentary. Thanks for visiting!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

MDD is characterized by one or more major depressive episodes & no history of manic, hypomanic or mixed episodes.MDD can begin at any age but most often onsets in the mid-20s.The course can be quite variable.Some people may have isolated episodes of depression with remissions of many years; others may have clusters of episodes with brief remissions.You can use specifiers to indicate the course of the disorder, such as the specifier “With Full Interepisode Recovery” or “Without Full Interepisode Recovery.”

The criteria:

Presence of a single major depressive episode (see previous post)

Episode is not better accounted for by schizoaffective disorder & is not superimposed on schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, delusional disorder, or psychotic disorder not otherwise specified.

There has never been a manic, mixed or hypomanic episode unless that episode is substance or treatment induced or due to a general medical condition.

If the full criteria are met at the current time for a major depressive episode, specify its current clinical status and/or features:

Mild (with 5 – 6 symptoms of a major depressive episode), moderate (between mild & severe), severe with psychotic features (with most symptoms of a depressive episode and psychosis) or severe without psychotic features (with most of the symptoms & no psychosis)

Chronic – full criteria have been met for a major depressive episode for at least the previous 2 years

With catatonic features – with 2 of the following

Motor immobility as evidenced by muscular rigidity or stupor

Excessive motor activity that serves no evident purpose & is not influenced by external stimuli

Extreme negativism (resistance to instructions with no evident motive or maintenance of a rigid posture against attempts to be moved) or mutism